Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M3/00—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output
  • H02M3/22—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac
  • H02M3/24—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters
  • H02M3/28—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac
  • H02M3/325—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac using devices of a triode or a transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal
  • H02M3/335—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac using devices of a triode or a transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M1/00—Details of apparatus for conversion
  • H02M1/36—Means for starting or stopping converters
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M3/00—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output
  • H02M3/22—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M3/00—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output
  • H02M3/22—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac
  • H02M3/24—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters
  • H02M3/28—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M3/00—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output
  • H02M3/22—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac
  • H02M3/24—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters
  • H02M3/28—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac
  • H02M3/325—Conversion of dc power input into dc power output with intermediate conversion into ac by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac using devices of a triode or a transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to a switching mode power supply. More
• the present disclosure relates to a transformer-based flyback converter.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram for a basic flyback converter 100.
• the flyback converter 100 converts the voltage level of a DC input (e.g., Vi n ) to new voltage level V ou t in order to drive a load.
• the flyback converter 100 comprises a transformer T having a primary winding and a secondary winding.
• An input voltage Vi n is applied to input terminals 102 of the primary winding.
• the other terminal of the primary winding is connected to a switch Q (e.g., Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor, MOSFET).
• MOSFET Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
• a diode D is connected in series between a terminal of the secondary winding and an output terminal 104 of the flyback converter 100 (note the relation of the dotted ends of the primary and secondary windings, where by convention current enters).
• a capacitor C is connected between output terminal 104 and 106.
• a feedback path 108 from the output Vout may be used to control a duty cycle (e.g., the ON time of a switching cycle expressed as a percentage of the period of the switching cycle) of the switching control signal in order to vary the currents Ip and Is in order to maintain a charge the capacitor C to maintain a desired voltage level for V ou t- At power up, however, V ou t increases from an initial voltage level of 0V. Accordingly, the feedback path 108 may not be able to provide an adequate feedback signal to properly control the ON and OFF times for switch Q.
• the transformer T may be driven into saturation during the startup sequence.
• a flyback converter may receive an input voltage on a primary winding of a transformer.
• a controller circuit controls a transistor switch to control a flow of current through the primary winding.
• the controller generates a first control signal having a first duty cycle during the startup period.
• the controller generates a second control signal having a second duty cycle greater than the first duty cycle. The longer OFF time of pulses comprising the first control signal avoid driving the transformer into saturation.
• the controller includes a pulse generator having a given duty cycle.
• the first control signal may comprise pulses from the pulse generator, and in particular may comprise every Nt pulse from the pulse generator.
• a count value may be stored in a memory.
• the value for N may be determined from the count value.
• a sense signal based on the input voltage may be use to generate control pulses for the startup period.
• the pulse widths may be determined by monitoring the sense signal.
• the monitoring includes comparing the sense signal with a threshold value.
• Fig. 1 shows general configuration for a conventional flyback converter.
• Fig. 2 is a high level block diagram of a flyback converter in accordance with principles of the present disclosure.
• Figs. 3 and 4 represent waveforms of the magnetizing current in a transformer.
• Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the controller shown in Fig. 2.
• Fig. 6 illustrates processing in an embodiment of the controller shown in Fig. 5.
• Fig. 7 shows the waveforms relating to processing by the controller shown in Fig. 5.
• Fig. 8 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the controller shown in Fig. 2.
• FIG. 9 illustrates processing in an embodiment of the controller shown in Fig. 8.
• Fig. 10 shows the waveforms relating to processing by the controller shown in Fig. 8.
• a flyback converter 200 may be provided to drive a load (e.g., a Light Emitting Diode, LED, array).
• the flyback converter 200 may include an input section for receiving an Alternating Current (AC) voltage.
• the input section may comprise rectifier circuit 204 and a transformer 202 connected to the rectifier circuit.
• the rectifier circuit 204 may be a full wave rectifier, a half wave rectifier, and the like.
• the input section may comprise only the rectifier circuit 204, where the transformer 202 is considered an external component that is connected to the flyback converter 200 at input terminals 202a.
• the rectifier circuit 204 outputs a current 204a to a resistor Rs that is indicative of the input current Ip.
• the rectifier circuit 204 outputs rectified voltage Vi n 204b to a startup circuit 206 and to a transformer (flyback transformer) 208.
• the startup circuit 206 may generate a power supply voltage (e.g., V DD ) to provide power to a controller 210.
• the startup circuit 206 may also generate a control signal Vi n _valid that the controller 210 may use to determine whether or not to output the switching control signal SW.
• the controller 210 is configured to perform a startup switching sequence and a normal switching sequence, which will be explained in more detail below.
• the controller 210 is connected to a switch Ml .
• the switch Ml may be a MOSFET power device.
• the controller 210 generates a switching control signal SW which is may be coupled to a gate terminal G of switch Ml, thereby controlling the ON state and OFF state of the switch.
• the controller 210 receives an over-current sense signal 210a, which in some embodiments, may be a voltage level across the resistor R s .
• the over-current sense signal 210a is based on the input voltage Vi n and may be used to detect and over-current condition. As will be explained in more detail below, the over-current signal may be used in some embodiments to control generation of the switching control signal SW.
• the controller 210 may be connected to a configuration memory 212 containing parameters to configure operation of the controller.
• the configuration memory 212 may include one or more parameters, including skip count 212a, over-current step value 212b, over-current start value 212c, and V ou t_threshold 212d, which will be described in more detail below.
• the controller 210 may be implemented as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or with a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), or using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and so on.
• the configuration memory 212 may be incorporated into the logic of the controller 210, or the configuration memory may be a memory device (e.g., flash memory) separate from the controller logic.
• the transformer 208 includes a primary winding P and a secondary winding S.
• the rectified voltage 204b from the rectifier circuit 204 is connected to the "dotted" terminal of the primary winding.
• the "dot" nomenclature is a conventional notation used when designing with transformers to indicate the direction of current flow.
• the undotted terminal of the primary winding P is connected to a drain terminal D of the switch Mi.
• the source terminal S of the switch Mi is connected to ground potential.
• a diode 222 is connected between the undotted terminal of the secondary winding S and an output terminal 224a of the flyback converter 200.
• the dotted terminal of the secondary winding S is connected to another output terminal 224b of the flyback converter 200.
• a capacitor 226 is connected between the terminals of the secondary winding S.
• a feedback error circuit 228 and an optical coupler 230 provide a feedback path to the controller 210.
• the feedback error circuit 228 outputs a level based on the output voltage V out of the flyback converter 200.
• the optical coupler 230 provides a feedback signal 210b to an input of the controller 210, while at the same time isolating the output side (i.e., circuitry connected to the secondary winding S) of the flyback converter 200 from the controller to protect the controller (and other circuitry on the input side; for example, the circuitry connected to the primary winding P) from potential damage due to high voltages that may be generated on the output side.
• the controller 210 uses the feedback signal 210b to control the switching of switch Mi during the normal switching sequence.
• the configuration memory 212 may include a threshold voltage level V 0ut -threshold 212d that the controller 210 uses to maintain a desired level of V out -
• General operation of the flyback converter 200 includes the controller 210 controlling the switch Mi to turn ON for a period of time, thus producing a flow of current I P in the primary winding P that increases over time. The increase in Ip during the ON period can be expressed as follows:
• V in is the input voltage
• T on is the amount of time of the ON period of the switch Mi
• L m is the inductance of the primary winding P of the transformer 208.
• V out is the output voltage of the flyback converter 200
• Vf d is the forward voltage drop of the diode 222
• T off is the amount of time of the OFF period of the switch Mi
• L m is the inductance of the primary winding P of the transformer 208.
• N t is the transformer winding turns ratio of the transformer 208.
• AI is the average change in current in the secondary winding S for each OFF period
• V in is the input voltage
• T on is the amount of time of the ON period of the switch Mi
• L m is the inductance of the primary winding P of the transformer 208.
• AI S is the change in the current 3 ⁇ 4, during the OFF period.
• AI is the average change in current in the secondary winding S for each OFF period
• T off is the amount of time of the OFF period of the switch Mi
• C 0 is capacitance of capacitor 226.
• the graphs depicted in the figure show a trace 304 of pulses that may comprise the switching control signal SW produced by the controller 210, and a trace 302 of the magnetizing current in the transformer 208.
• the magnetizing current relates to current flowing the in the primary winding P during an ON period of the switch Mi.
• the magnetizing current creates the magnetic field in the transformer 208 during the ON period.
• the magnetic field collapses and current in the secondary winding S is induced.
• the trace 302 shows that the peaks in the magnetizing current do not exceed a parameter of the transformer 208 called the saturation current I sat . This parameter is sometimes referred to as maximum flux density (B max ), which can be computed from I sat .
• B max maximum flux density
• Fig. 3 depicts a "normal switching" period of operation of the flyback converter 200.
• the switching control signal SW can maintain the output voltage Vout at a constant level using pulses that have a constant pulse width and a constant duty cycle.
• the level of V out will generally vary and so the feedback circuit 228 serves to maintain a constant charge on the capacitor 226 in order to maintain a constant V ou t-
• the controller 210 may adjust the pulses that constitute the switching control signal SW by varying their period T per iod, their ON time TON, their OFF time TO FF , and so on, based on the feedback signal 210b.
• the output voltage Vout is sufficiently large that a detectable voltage level can be fed back to the controller 210 to produce suitable pulses (SW) to control the switch Mi.
• SW suitable pulses
• the current Ip in the primary winding varies inversely as the transformer inductance L m .
• the inductance of the core of the transformer 208 suddenly drops, and the current in the primary winding P suddenly increases.
• the sudden change in current creates a very high voltage across the drain and source of the switch Mi, which may damage the switch if it is not rated for a sufficiently high operating voltage.
• the controller 210 can ensure that magnetizing current in the transformer does not exceed the saturation current I sat by properly controlling the pulses (SW) based on the feedback signal 210b.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a scenario where the transformer 208 is driven into saturation.
• a magnetizing current in the transformer 208 is set up during the ON period of pulse 1 and reaches a peak level at then end of the ON period when it begins to discharge during the OFF period.
• the magnetizing current does not fully discharge by the end of the OFF period of pulse 1, leaving a residual magnetizing current I re siduaii .
• the switch Mi is turned ON by pulse 2
• the magnetizing current in transformer 208 will begin to increase starting from the level of I res iduaii, this time reaching a higher peak level at the end of the ON period of pulse 2 than before.
• the residual magnetizing current may be expressed by the following:
• IresMual ⁇ p - ⁇ , (EqU. 5) where I residual is the residual magnetizing current
• Al p is the current in the primary winding P generated during an ON period (see Eqn. 1)
• AI S is the current in the secondary winding S generated during the subsequent OFF period (see Eqn. 2), and
• N t is the transformer windings turn ratio of the transformer 208.
• the output voltage Vout is initially 0V and will incrementally increase from 0V. It can be appreciated from Eqns. 2 and 5 that the residual magnetizing current in the transformer 208 will be higher during the startup period than during the normal switching period of operation. The startup period therefore presents an increased chance of driving the transformer into saturation and thus an increased risk in damaging the switch Mi. Therefore, in accordance with principles of the present disclosure, embodiments of the controller 210 provide control processing during the startup period.
• the controller 210 may include a pulse generator 502, a startup switching block 504, and a normal switching block 506.
• the pulse generator 502 produces a pulse train 502a (Pulse gen) that feeds into the startup switching block 504 and the normal switching block 506.
• the pulse train comprises pulses have substantially the same period and substantially the same duty cycle.
• the pulses may be used to generate the switching control signal SW.
• a mux 508 selects between an output of the startup switching block 504 and an output of the normal switching block 506 as the switching control signal SW. Mux selection is controlled by a comparator 510 which compares the V ou t feedback signal 210b with the V ou t_threshold parameter 212d received from the configuration memory 212.
• the switching control signal SW is obtained from the normal switching block 506 when the flyback converter 200 has completed its startup sequence.
• the comparator 510 may provides an indication that the startup sequence has completed by comparing the V out feedback signal 210b with the V out _threshold parameter 212d.
• the normal switching block 506 may simply pass the output pulses generated by the pulse generator 502 onto the mux 508 to be output as switching control signal SW.
• the normal switching block 506 may modify or otherwise change the pulses received from the pulse generator 502 in accordance with the V out feedback signal 210b in order to maintain a proper voltage level for V out - [0042]
• the switching control signal SW is obtained from the startup switching block 504 during a startup period of operation of the flyback converter 200; e.g., as determined by the comparator 510.
• the startup switching block 504 receives the skip count parameter 212a from the configuration memory 212 which, in some embodiments, is used to generate the switching control signal SW.
• the output of mux 508 may be gated by an AND gate 512 that is controlled by the Vi n _valid signal from the startup circuit 206.
• the Vi n _valid signal is used to disable the output of the switching control signal SW for brown out protection.
• the Vi n _valid signal may go LO, but remains HI otherwise.
• the pulse generator 502 begins generating pulses. Parameters are read in from the configuration memory 212 at 604. For example, the skip count parameter 212a is read in and used in the startup switching block 504 and the V out _threshold parameter 212d is read in and used by the comparator 510.
• the startup sequence is deemed to have completed when the V out feedback signal 210b is greater than a threshold value determined by the V out _threshold parameter 212d.
• the comparator 510 performs a comparison of the V out feedback signal 210b and the V out _threshold parameter 212d.
• the comparator 510 selects the output of the startup switching block 504 (via mux 508) when the V out feedback signal 210b is less than the V 0ut _threshold parameter 212d.
• the comparator 510 selects the output of the normal switching block 506 to perform normal switching (at 612).
• V out feedback signal 210b is less than the V out _threshold parameter 212d
• processing proceeds to 608, where the startup switching block 504 receives a first pulse of the output 502a from the pulse generator 502 and outputs that first pulse to the mux 508.
• the startup switching block 504 receives the next N pulses (where N is set equal to the skip count parameter 212a) from the pulse generator and skips them by not outputting the N pulses to the mux 508. Processing then returns to 606.
• timing traces illustrate the timing between the pulses generated by the pulse generator 502 and the generated switching control signal SW in relation to the Vout feedback signal 210b.
• the top trace shows a train of pulses generated by the pulse generator 502.
• startup switching at 606-610 produce the switching control signal SW shown in the bottom trace.
• a first pulse from the pulse generator 502 appears as a pulse in the switching control signal SW.
• the duty cycle of the switching control signal SW changes between the startup switching sequence and the normal switching sequence. Since the startup switching sequence always skips N pulses, for each pulse that is output to the switching control signal SW, the duty cycle of the switching control signal is reduced by a factor of 1/(N+1) during startup switching as compared to normal switching.
• a startup switching block 804 is configured to receive over- current parameters 212b and 212c from the configuration block.
• the startup switching block 804 employs the over-current sense signal 210a in a feedback loop to control the pulse widths of the switching control signal SW during the startup switching sequence.
• the pulse generator 502 begins generating pulses. Parameters are read in from the configuration memory 212 and setup, at 904. For example, the skip count parameter 212a is read in and used in the startup switching block 804 and the V ou t_threshold parameter 212d is read in and used by the comparator 510. In addition, an over-current step parameter 212b and an over-current start parameter 212c are read in. The over-current start parameter 212c is used to set an initial value for an over-current threshold value. [0051] At 906, a determination is made whether the startup sequence has completed.
• the startup sequence is deemed to have completed when the V out feedback signal 210b is greater then a threshold value determined by the V out _threshold parameter 212d. Accordingly, the comparator 510 performs a comparison of the V out feedback signal 210b and the V out _threshold parameter 212d. The comparator 510 selects the output of the startup switching block 504 (via mux 508) when the V out feedback signal 210b is less than the V 0ut _threshold parameter 212d. When the V out feedback signal 210b ⁇ V out _threshold parameter 212d, then the comparator 510 selects the output of the normal switching block 506.
• the startup switching block 504 waits for a HI to occur in the output 502a of the pulse generator 502, at which time the startup switching block asserts a logic HI on its output (at 910).
• the output of the startup switching block 504 is output to the switching control signal SW via mux 508.
• the over-current threshold value is compared with the over-current sense signal 210a. If the over-current sense signal 210a is less than the over-current threshold value, then at 922 the process continues according the whether the output 502a of the pulse generator 502 is HI or LO.
• the startup switching block 504 asserts LO at 924 and processing continues at 906; otherwise, the startup switching block asserts HI at 910 and processing repeats at 912 by comparing the over-current threshold value with the over-current sense signal 210a. When the over-current sense signal 210a exceeds the over-current threshold value, then at 914 the output of the startup switching block 504 asserts a logic LO, thus defining an ON pulse in the switching control signal SW.
• the startup switching block 504 receives N pulses (where N is set equal to the skip count parameter 212a) from the pulse generator and skips them by not outputting the N pulses to the mux 508. If, at 918, the over-current threshold value is to be increment, then at 920 the over-current threshold value is incremented by the over-current step parameter 212b received from the configuration memory 212. Processing then repeats from 906. On the next pass through the loop 906-920, since the over-current threshold has been increased, the ON pulse in the switching control signal SW will be wider by operation of the loop 908- 912.
• timing traces illustrate the timing between the pulses generated by the pulse generator 502, the over-current sense signal, and the generated switching control signal SW in relation to the V out feedback signal 210b.
• the top trace shows a train of pulses generated by the pulse generator 502.
• startup switching in at 908-912 produces the first pulse in switching control signal SW at time tl , shown in the bottom trace.
• the over-current threshold is set to THi.
• the over-current sense signal 210a When the over-current sense signal 210a reaches THi, the first pulse is formed.
• the V out feedback voltage signal 210b reaches V out _threshold at time. Normal switching takes place where the pulses from the pulse generator 502 are output to the switching control signal SW.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Dc-Dc Converters (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-12-23 KR KR1020137018831A patent/KR20130132546A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-12-23 EP EP11851028.8A patent/EP2656495A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-12-23 JP JP2013546451A patent/JP6113077B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-12-23 US US13/336,467 patent/US8711584B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-12-23 WO PCT/US2011/067169 patent/WO2012088505A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-12-23 CN CN2011800626166A patent/CN103270683A/zh active Pending

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